2013 Global Go To Think Tank Ranking: German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) has established itself in the top 100 think tanks worldwide

Press Release, 22 January 2014

Today, the current Global Go To Think Tank Ranking was presented in New York, Washington D.C., and Berlin. In the group of leading development policy think tanks the German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) has once again achieved a place in the top 15 – along with just four further European research institutes. Foreign policy-oriented institutes are also represented in the category 'Top International Development Think Tanks'. If the focus is placed solely upon development policy-aligned think tanks, then the DIE is in the top 8.

"Once again, in this year's ranking we have been rewarded for our innovative ideas and suggestions aimed at the world of politics. The result underscores the fact that the DIE is also perceived internationally as a pioneering thinker on strategic future issues and matters of international co-operation," said DIE Director Dirk Messner. "We are particularly pleased that we are one of just a handful of German research institutes to number amongst the 100 worldwide leading think tanks," Messner continued.

The policy-oriented and interdisciplinary research programmes of the DIE also resulted in good ratings in other categories. For example, apart from the DIE, just four other German research institutes are included in the forty 'Top Think Tanks in Western Europe'. The DIE also performs well in the fields 'Think Tanks with the Most Innovative Policy Ideas/Proposals', 'Think Tanks with Outstanding Policy-Oriented Research Programs', 'Best Transdisciplinary Research Program at a Think Tank' as well as 'Think Tanks with the Best External Relations/Public Engagement Program' and 'Best Government Affiliated Think Tanks'.

In 2013 6,826 think tanks from 182 countries participated in the ranking process, where they were assessed by a total of 1,947 independent journalists, academics and politicians. The annual ranking is drawn up by the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program of the University of Pennsylvania and provides a differentiated assessment according to region, area of research and particular activities of the think tanks. The complete 2013 Global Go To Think Tank can be found here, in German and Englishtypo3/#_msocom_1